Not A Game
by Dragon Band-Aid
Summary: Being dragged into a game with no way out how would one normal woman find her way through a blight and a place stuck in the renaissance age? AlisterXOC, ZeveranXOC
1. Ch 1 The Beginning

So i have been playing DA for like ever and finally got an idea for a fanfic. So here it is.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<br>_The Beginning_**

Katie groaned as she awoke, her head hurt and so did her back. The last thing she could remember is camping with her friends and then out of the shadows came a nightmarish creature. They looked like bald men but with shark like teeth and smelled like a waist facility.

Katie strained her eyes open, the sky was moving…no she was moving. She was being dragged by her feet. The nasty smell hit her again, these ugly people held her hostage and dragging to where ever they were heading.

Katie kicked her feet out, trying to get away, she heard a hiss and growl and the fingers around her ankle squeezed. She hissed in pain raising her head to see who exactly was holding her. The dark of night and the shade of trees blocked most of her view of the armored figure. Suddenly an arrow was logged into her captures neck.

It made the 'thunk' sound as it sunk in. Her capture dropped in a heap at her feet with a clanking thud. Katie scurried backwards to get away from the nasty smelling creatures and into a tree. She grunted on impact the bark was harsh on her already scratched and raw back. She silently watched, freighted, as more arrows sailed into the creatures before a white light hit one. The creature exploded spraying blood everywhere. Then a loud cry of battle and she several heavily armed men charging at the creatures.

The battle was over fast, these creatures weren't all that good at fighting back, but they had a great amount of power behind their blows. The men looked about talking quietly to one another, Katie must have made a noise for soon all the worriers were looking at her. One of the men stepped forward making Katie press back into the tree.

"It's alright young lady, we will not hurt you." He sheathed his weapon, as if that was going to help calm the frightened woman down. "Are you injured?" He asked finally getting close, about four feet. He kneeled looking her over. "Andrew get over here…" The man yelled behind him. The was a scurry of feet and a man in robes ran over. The knight in front of Katie gestured for the robed man to slow down.

"They were dragging her." The robed man, Andrew, nodded coming closer.

"Miss, I'm a mage, let me have a look at you." Katie stared wondering if she came across a group of people playing live role play. Because no 'mages' existed. Not sure what to do Katie just nodded, she was tired, her head hurt and her back was screaming at her. Andrew drew closer gently touching her shoulders.

"Lean forward miss." He gently pushed her forward and then hissed. "She needs a healer, a really good healer." He commented to the kneeling knight before them both. "I'm going to get rid of some pain." Katie's eyes widened when his hands began to glow blue. She wondered how he was doing that before she felt her pain dissipate to a throb. "She is not to walk…so someone is going to need to carry her." Andrew stood dusting off his robes. There was a quick debate on who was going to do that task before a man sighed and came over to her. Gently as she could in armor, he lifted Katie up bridal style and they walked back to camp.

"what's your name miss?" Katie's carrier asked. Katie raised her hands to his face and started to make letters. In truth Katie was mute, mute since the day she was born. During her development in the womb her vocal cords were not developed properly, leaving her voiceless. "What in the maker are you doing? Andrew, is she cursing me?" The man carrying her sounded worried. Andrew turned and made his way over. In his hands he held a ball of light, he had been leading the others threw the woods.

Andrew looked at her and then got an amazed look on his face. "She's talking."

"Talking?" Another guy said sounding as he didn't believe.

"She's speaking with her hands, she mute. I've read about from the books in the tower but never actually thought I would meet someone who actually used it to communicate." Andrew opened his other hand to Katie. "We don't know how to read that…but are most welcome to trace the letters." Katie reached over and ran her figure on Andrew hand slowly. "K-a-t-i-e…Katie." She nodded giving a smile. "Well then miss Katie, pleasure." Andrew moved back to the head of the group.

It seemed like hours to Katie but they finally made into camp. Camp was actually a large camp of soldiers. There appeared to be some sort of war, Katie figured out by now that one, this wasn't some fantasy role play and two, these people were actually worriers and yes Andrew was indeed a mage…powers and all. It kind of one of her video games…Dragon something…if only she could remember the story-line.

A man in gold armor was walking toward the group, several other heavily armed men fallowed him. Helmets were one and they didn't look inviting at all. The men around her gave a bow, except the one holding her, who merely tipped his head forward. "The man you sent a head of your group told me of what had happened. Where is the girl." The golden armor man, Lord Calien, was the man in charge here…he was King apparently and Katie felt rather foolish being in front of him covered in dirt and blood.

When everyone cleared a small path towards her Calien's eyes grew wide.

"Have her see a healer right away." He demanded and then addressed Katie directly. "We will speak later." Katie was quickly rushed off the mages side of the camp. The Templar's let Andrew threw without a fuss but halted both Katie and her carrier. A rather strong looking mage came to them and gently deposited Katie into a gurney once inside the tent on her stomach.

"Ah child, a run in with the darkspawn. How unfortunate." The woman smiled gently and started to heal Katie's back. The conversation was once sided, the woman, Wayne, didn't seem to mind at all. She gently laid her hand on Katie's head and whispered a sleeping spell.

Katie awoke will little to no pain in her back. She looked around the best she could, she was lying on her stomach, which was currently gurgling for food. She razed herself on her elbows only to hiss.

The mages obviously didn't heal her all the way for she now felt the bindings on her back. They were obviously there to help with infection, she hoped it wasn't. Cringing Katie sat up slowly, bring the sheets with her to cover her front. Changing her position on the bed she found herself in a small tent meant only for one person, two could fit of one was willing to share cramped quarters.

Katie stood slowly and rapped the blanket around her shoulders like a cloak. With gentle non jarring steps to the tent door flaps, opening them slowly. A guard turned towards her when he heard the flutter.

"Your awake. Please lay down, well have a healer here very soon." He flagged down a elf that was running by. "Get a healer to this tent." Katie stepped forward lifting her hand up to grabbed the elf. "Miss." Katie made a gesture of eating. "Get her food as wel." The soldier pushed the elf into going.

Katie went back into the tent she slowly sat down waiting for her food and the healer. The tent was plain, gray in color filled with only a cot. The smell of mud and dog was prominent in the air. Rubbing her nose Katie held back a sneeze.

Katie remembered the story…how terrible that everyone was going to die…maybe she will too. She knew this wasn't some dream, for in dreams on couldn't feel pain. An 'excuse me' brought Katie out her musing. Wayne, her healer from before came in with a gentle smile.

"You should be lying down child." She placed her hands gently on Katie's shoulders as she unwrapped the bindings from her mid section. "Your wounds were infected, so we waited till that stopped for the actually healing."

Her hands glowed as soothing blue before they were placed on Katie's back. The pain faded and Katie was able to sit up striate finally. Katie brought right hand to her chin and then pulsed in the times towards Wayne. She signed thank you, but Wayne stood there not sure what to do about the strange gesture. "Child, I do not understand." Kaite dropped her head. This was harder than she thought. She waved Wayne off.

Several minutes after Wayen left an elf came in with a bowl of soup. "I was told to bring this to you." Katie stood now dressed in a barrowed shirt. She took the soup with a nod of thanks before sipping it. It was filled with some sort of meat that made Katie gag.

She cringed pulling the bowl away from her lips. Kaite's parents were both vegetarians, there for she grew up one as well. She never had meat, though her friends ate it around her, they respected enough not to eat it around her all the time.

A man all armored up and rather tan, entered the tent. "I was told you were awake, the king wishes to meet you. But please finish eating." Katie put down her bowl and stood gesturing that she could leave. Duncan, he had introduced himself after a few seconds, was happy that she was alive and well even with her ordeal with the darkspawn.

"Your majesty," Duncan said as they neared the golden armored king. "Katie is awake and walking around just fine." The king turned towards her smiling.

"Its good to see you out and about." Katie bowed. "How are you feeling my friend." Katie singed ok. "Ah, Andrew said you spoke with your hands. I am sorry to say but I myself have no idea what you have said. Katie gave him a thumbs up. The blond haired King laughed. "That I do understand."

Katie smiled happy to be understood by someone around her. "What were you doing out there in the woods?" Katie sighed shaking her head. These people didn't understand her, how was she supposed to tell them her story.

In the end a blank volume was handed to her and a quill. Katie jotted down a few things like how her and two friends went out camping and then next thing she knew they were being attacked by darkspawn. Katie wrote that she didn't know where her friends were, but she came to being dragged by one of the darkspawn.

Hours later, more like early in the morning, Katie walked around the camp. It was rather peaceful, calming and it helped Katie think. If she was stuck in this game, then she would need to find a way out of it…best bet was to beat the game…or find someone with teleporting dimension powers. The first option seemed for of a reachable goal then the second.

Katie sat down on a ledge suddenly not feeling all too well. Her head felt foggy, slight dizziness and then her body temperature sky rocketed before her vision swarmed and she slumped forward. Not too long after she awoke hearing muffled voice and a room swaying like she was one a ship. Duncan's face appeared in front of her swaying vision talking to her.

Katie singed to slow down before her brain caught up to her and she realized he wasn't reading her hands. She made a swaying motion wither her hands and then touched her head with her hands.

"I forgot of your non-vocalizing." He helped her sit up before pushing several pillows behind her back so she was propped up. "I have serous news for you. I will be blunt." He took a breath squaring himself. "I had hoped what I had felt around you was just darkspawn blood, but sadly it is in your system. You have been tainted." Katie knew what he was talking about right away. Two options for her, die or join the greywardens and possibly die.

Katie gesture writing something on her hand with a pen…or quill in this place. A parchment was placed in her hand and a quill in the other. She quickly wrote she wished to joined the wards. There was no way she was going to die a slow agonizing death. A ghoul is not what she wished to become, let alone serve the darkspawn. Duncan looked up after reading the sheet with a critical eye. Katie just gave him a tired smile. "If that is what you wish. You seem to know more than you let on." Katie shrugged not really giving an answer.

After two days of resting Katie was shoved into leather armor and told she will be heading out in the woods with two other new recruits for the Greywardens. Katie nodded when Duncan had asked if she knew how to fight. Then made a so-so gesture when asked if she could use a blade. Duncan patted her on the back and told her best way of learning was having to defend one's life. Katie had to ask herself isn't that what she was doing in the first place.

So now she stood watching Alister talking…arguing…one sided argument, with a mage. She actually found it quite funny…but couldn't bring herself to laugh. Not that she could. Katie was brought out of her musing being rudely shoved to the side by the mage who hissed at her like some angry cat that got its tail stepped on. Alister sighed asking some question that Katie couldn't quiet catch before turning towards her.

He gave her a smile. Katie was actually dumb struck and how rather handsome Alister looked in real life. He had this boyish look and feel to him. But he was still taller than her. Katie couldn't help but smile back.

"So…who are you?" He asked slowly unsure if that was even the right question to ask a lady let alone her. Katie raised her hand but stopped knowing it was pointless to even start signing. She grabbed the front of his armor and gave it a tug before heading off. She beckoned him to fallow when he didn't move. Getting the hit he fallowed after her, his slightly longer strides easily caught up to her smaller ones.

Duncan stood by the fire with two other figures, he was talking to them but paused when he saw Katie with Alister. "Thank you Katie." Katie nodded. "Now that we are all here we can introduce ourselves properly." Duncan said. Introductions were made, and random questions answered it was time for the mission.

"Alister you will be leading your charges through the Koraki Wilds, one for viles of darkspawn blood and two, for old treaties." Alister nodded. It wasn't long before they all headed out. Katie had a dagger and a short sword strapped to her back.

Alister took lead when they headed out…then got them lost. Which left them running in circles for half an hour before Alister gave up and said someone else should lead, the knight and the thief started to play rock, paper, scissors to find out who should lead only to be grabbed by Alister who wound up fallowing Katie back to the main path they were supposed to be fallowing. Katie made arm gestures that this was the road that they would be staying on it. No one got that but just smiled sheepishly. Katie lifted her arms shaking them and rolling her eyes. Yelling in her head 'MEN.'

A shout of 'Over here!' drew Katie's. There was a soldier crawling…kind of…at them. He said his scouting part was attacked; he just wanted to be patched up and wanted to get back to camp. Which wasn't too far, but Katie had no bandages. Alister kneeled and pulled some bandages out of the pack, he did somewhat of an ok job of helping the man off and then sent the soldier off.

Sir Jory panicked, acted more like a chicken than anything else…complained a little then the group proceeded on. The first group of darkspawn that came at them scared the soul out of Katie so badly she had backed into Alister trying to get away. Sensing her unease Alister got in front of her drawing his blade and shield. "Draw your weapons and fight." He stated quietly and then charged into at one of the bigger darkspawn.

Shakily Katie pulled her blades and gripped the tightly. She took a deep breath and moved forward. One of the smaller darkspawn put its bow away and charged at her. Katie easily danced out the blades way…and the darkspawns claws. But she had a hard time hitting with her own weapons. She just couldn't get close to it.

The nightmarish man like creature freaked her out to a point where she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep for many days on end without nightmares…or not sleep at all. One grabbed her from behind, freaking out she slammed her foot down on its own, kicked up into its crotch, elbowed its face then finally flipped around to stab in the head with her dagger. Blood spurted from its wound and on to Katies face making her gag and cough as she back up. She tripped backward over the other dead darkspawn.

"Easy." Alistar said wiping the blood of her face. You have to be careful." Katie wrote in the dirt. _'I have the taint already, more blood won't kill me any faster.' _She paused then did a happy face. Alister chuckled. "You don't know how to fight with a weapon do you?" Kaite shook her head.

'_Self-defense.' _Katie erased the thing before and wrote anew. Alister nodded and helped her up. They collected a vile and then moved on. Katie found the clues to a chasind trail. Which they had fallowed…in circles. During one of their searches they stumbled upon and old camp swarming with darkspawn. Once again they fought. Katie managed to actually cut one of the darkspawn and help take down another.

In the campfire she saw a silver box. Slightly tarnished and covered in dirt, ash and dust. It had a note with it…meant for a woman named Jetta who lived in Redcliff. A man named Rigby wanted to give this to her. Stashing it away in Alister's bag, Katie wanted to give this to the woman.

Continuing on, Katie was forced to fight more of the creatures, in a larger number. But finally getting through they were able to find the last place the Chasind stashed their stuff. They grabbed everything and filled more viles of darkspawn blood. Walking by one of the fallen logs Katie spotted a yellow flower with a red center. She came over to it and picked it, sadly it had no scent, about to drop it someone stated the kennel master needed a flower that looked like that to cure one of the dogs. She tucked it away for later use.

Alister stated that up that ridge should be where the treaty papers should be held. _Should be _was the key component of the statement, for they weren't there and in the end were being questioned by Moragin. Eventually Katie managed to get Moragin to lead them to her and her mother's place for the document exchange. The old bat also held up Katie's camping bag asking if they knew what the hell to do with this weird object. Katie reached for it nodding. And promptly went through it to see what she had.

Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Hair brush, Pens and pad for communication, Fire starter kit, Change of clothes, Pocket knife, Flashlight, Bags of dried food, Soap, Shampoo, feminine products, Hiking boots, Deodorant, Fiji water bottle and Rope. Katie clutched the bag happily. Something from where she was from…some normality for her. Morgin lead them back close to the Kings camp and then left as swiftly and silently as they came. Everyone split off when they finally got threw they gates. Alister went and delivered the viles as well as the treaties.

Katie made her way over to the Kennel Master. She pulled out the flower when he asked what she wanted. He asked her to muzzle it. The Master probably was too afraid of the poor ailing dog. It gave Katie no trouble. The kennel master thank her, gave her twenty silver. Katie gave a small bow and then moved to the quarter master. There she sold some extra weapons she collected from the darkspawn and managed to make five gold, seventeen silvers and sixty-nine copper. She bought some health potions and first aid stuff. Knowing she was going to need them. Happy with her perches she moved to her tent and stripped out of her armor the best she could. There was a big bowl of warm water by her bed.

Grabbing a cloth she wiped herself down the best she could. She could always take a bath in a stream later. Dressed in her spare clothes… which were now her only cloths. Tight black cotton jeans and a long sleeve blue shirt with a low v-neck. She slinked on her former shoes she was wearing, some hiking sneakers. Before sitting down and reorganizing her pack. In truth her pack was her old school bag that could fit four binders and three thick textbooks and any other school supplies she was going to need.

What seemed like forever Katie finished and went to explore of the camp. On her way up one of the ramps she was caught up by a knight telling her the Duncan of the Greywardens wished to speak with her. She thanked him in her silent language and moved off to the fire pit, she knew Duncan would always be at.

Katie greeted him with the traditional bow which he gave a small smile to. "Alister mentioned that you were rather…lacking with your weapon usage." Katie shook her head yes. Confirming Alisters words. She made an 'X' with her hands and then patted her chest.

"You defend yourself…"Duncan guessed. Katie made a flip flop movement with her hands. "Self Defense…you know only self defense. Makes sense. One of the captains is willing to teach you basics, but you must practice on your own to get better."

Duncan lead her to a man with a stern scowl. He gave her one look over and sneered. Before scowling at Duncan. "Basics Captain, just basics." Duncan said as if scolding a child. The captain sighed and moved off. Duncan pushed Katie into fallowing the said scowling captain and into a training ring.

"Pull your weapon." Katie pulled both of hers. "A rouge…dam it Duncan." The captain growled. "Lets start with you stance." Katie got into a fighting stance…or what she believed a good fighting stance with weapons should be. "Good, but lean on your heals just a bit more, you have to compensate for your weapons weight." Katie shifted a bit back feeling uncomfortable in the position. "Good now swing." She fallowed only to fumble and fall. "Again." He snapped. Katie glared at from her sitting position on the ground refusing to do something couldn't do. "Up soldier!" the captain yelled to have Katie shake her head no. Growling the captain lifted Katie up from under her upper arm. "Again." He hissed. It went on for several hours before Duncan came to retrieve Katie from her torture.

"How did it go?" he asked." Katie glared at him and stuck her middle figure up. She hoped that was a universal sign here. Duncan looked shocked as she walked by him, dripping in sweat and dirt. Katie sat down on her cot wincing as she finally started feeling the pain or her training and then promptly went to sleep.

The next day Katie awoke and did some more training, surprisingly she got the hang of it pretty well fast. She spared with a few soldiers. Making her way back from training she passed the kings tent. It was all nice, colorful and big compared to hers. Two men watched her, giving Katie the willies before she moved on quickly. Duncan was at his usual spot and gave a wave to her as she passed by. Katie waved back slightly before heading towards him.

"Tonight we are doing to joining tonight. Meet us in the old temple." Duncan instructed. Katie nodded, knowing exactly what that entitled. She nervously waited all day then made her way to said temple. Run down and depressing looking as it was in the game Katie came upon the two other recruits talking to one another.

Jory was acting like a baby once again, complaining and whining about tests and such, Katie shook her head. He was in no way a warden if he complained about the little things, when they had a horde running at them tonight. Deveth mumbled something that got Jory quite but made him pace. Alister stood there watching all three recruits with a grim look on his face.

The next thing Katie knew she was drinking from a silver cup, it smelled putrid…worse than week old dog breath and tasted just as bad. But the shier pain she felt after she swallowed was not like anything else. Katie passed out after a few seconds of gasping in pain.

Few minutes later she awoke, slowly from a terrible nightmare. A dragon staring at her, dark black eyes void of a soul and filled with such malice. Dark blood red and spiky, she heard a roar and then she truly felt its presence. The world was fuzzy and swayed side to side showing the silhouette of Duncan and Alister, who looked grimly at her before sighing. Duncan officially welcomed her to the wardens, while Alister babbled away nervously. They gave her a few minutes to herself, but the king had wished for her to be part of the meeting.

Katie just nodded waiting for them to leave. As soon as they did she ran over to the bushes throwing up what little she had in her stomach. Spiting once she was done to get rid of the taste Katie sighed thanking the gods that she felt much better. Slowly she straitened herself and walked to the meeting table.

A heated discussion was going on about who would be where and when charges should take place. They were a bunch of young children to her fighting over a cookie, but she wasn't going to mention that to them…not that she could. Katie gave a small smile to Duncan and the meeting continued on.

Tower of Iahal wound up to be overrun by darkspawn, so they, Katie and Ailister had to battle their way up…but first they had to get to the front door…easier said than done considering the amount of darkspawn already outside battling a small force of Logan's men. They didn't last long but it helped both wardens out greatly to have those extra swords.

Once inside Katie shivered at the immense dark feeling she was getting from the tower. There had to be a lot of darkspawn in here, Katie ducked hearing a arrow whiz by her left ear bring her out of her stupor. Drawing her weapons once more she moved forward being careful of traps and triggers. Seeing none Katie watch the positioning of the darkspawn. These things were harder to fight in real life than actual game.

Katie stabbed on in the neck but had a hard time yanking it out, once she did she stumbled backwards. Feeling sick to her stomach again do to the flood now running between her sword and hand and the parts that had managed to get onto her armor. Alister grabbed her arm by the elbow dragging her along to the next part of the first floor.

Floor after floor, darkspawn after darkspawn both wardens managed to reach the top floor. Panting both looked up to find themselves watching a Orge ripping the head off a soldier and crunching it down like it was eating a walnut. It turned towards them blood and saliva dripping from its mouth and roared, spiting everywhere. If Katie wasn't nauseous before she was certainly now, and not liking any moment of it.

The Orge charged making the floor shake. Katie ran off to one side while Alister ran to the other. The Orge fallowed Alister, he biing slower do to armor wait. Katie pause her running looking around for anything to kill this guy. She wondered where grenades were when you needed one and then remembered she was in a swords and shields kind of game not a gun on gun. Drawing her swords Katie ran at the Orge's back and chopped at its shins. Anoyed the orge kicked back sending Katie tumbling backwards and into a wall.

Ignoring her, thinking she was dead the Orge went on chasing Alister around. Katie groaned as she sat up and then hissed in pain when her rips cried out in protest. Cringing as she stood Katie looked over to the mantle where the fire was saposed to be lit, the wood was their but nothing to light it. Katie crawled over there and pulled her bag from her back and rummaged through it for her fire starter.

Shakily striking a match and tossed it in the pit. The wood had to be coated in oil for it when up in flames quickly making sitting next to it impossible. Katie scurried back only to be picked up by the Orge. She heard Alister shout 'no' before she was slammed down face first onto the floor. Darkness took the pain and the sound from Katie quickly…she wished she could scream in pain.

Katie slowly opened her eyes. Above her was a wooden ceiling. Nothing fancy, one would find in a hut of some sort. Her body didn't hurt as much anymore, though the head ache was still there, but manageable.

"You eyes do open." Morigan's voice sounded of to Katie's left. Katie shifted her head looking at the scarcely dressed woman. "My mother wishes to speak to you. She is outside with your suspicious dimwitted friend." Morgain walked off mumbling about a stew.

Slowly Katie got up and dressed before heading out. Her head hurt and her ribs pulsed wish each step as she finally made it outside. Alister stood looking over the swam looking like a lost kicked puppy. He turned hearing Flemeth comment about Katie being fine and that he worried too much.

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><p>Just the first chapter Review<p> 


	2. Ch 2 Bad Day

So, sorry for not updating in a long while, but its Christmas, and hey I just had to update.

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<br>Bad Day**

Five men in nasty armor greeted Katie and her group as soon as Lothering came into view. The men demanding they pay the toll for the bridge…that was clearly broken and had not been in use in centuries.

In fact you had to make your way through the sad grey town in order to continue on said stone bridge. The men glared as Katie clearly gave them a gesture of what she thought of said toll, not that the men were sure what the gesture actually meant. But they figured it wasn't a 'yes, I'll pay the toll.'

So they drew their swords growling in annoyance and threateningly waved them about as if they knew how to use them. Moragin, in her skinny revealing robes, light her hands on fire, showing off her use of magic.

Alister raised his shield and drew his sword ready to charge in and protect his fellow warden. The dog that Katie had helped save back down at the kennels before the major fight and which she silently named Caramel had found them ways back down the road. Caramel lowered it brown body growling and showing off its K-nine's threateningly.

The fight was quickly started, much too quickly for Katie to pull out her own blades to protect herself. She stepped back in time not to be cleaved in half by a long sword. Alister's scared faced shield quickly made its way in front of Katie blocking another attack. Alister ushered her to his right side and then behind him grunting at another blow at his shield.

The fight from there was quickly over, leaving both Alister and Caramel splattered and blood and Morogin drinking a mana potion. Katie quickly started signing that she didn't realize that those men would attack her, and she panicked and didn't know what to do when they did. Halfway through Alister gripped her hands with his blood soaked ones to stop her, not understood gesturing and lead her to sit down on a sturdy create. He quickly knelt and removed his pack and pulled out a small cloth before ripping a peace off.

"You're bleeding." He stated as he dabbed gently. "Its not bad." He reassured her as he saw her panicked looked. "Just need some practice in getting ready to fight quickly." He soothed, not wanting her to feel bad.

"How about she starts in actually learning which part of the blade to avoid," Moragin stated helpfully in her sneering way. Alister turned his head and glared at her muttering about her getting hit by her own spell one day. He returned to dabbing Katie's wound soon after ignoring the mage's muttering.

Katie took up the cloth pressing to the small wound, that apparently came from the tip of the sword slicing too close to her brow. She pulsed her hand in front of chin in her thanks. Alister gave her a smile, still unsure what it meant. He stood once more collecting his shield and clipping it on. Slowly they made their way off the bridge after looting the men.

Lothering was depressing. Grey on grey and look...more grey! The buildings were all mashed poorly together, falling apart here and there. The road itself was littered with foot prints, mostly muddy ones, though no one seemed to mind. Katie grimced, she was used to paved streets, the march here had done nothing for Katie's sore feet.

People wept or scurried frantically around trying to pack what little they had. Many mothers ushered their children out of homes, so they could pack in peace and quickly. Children played with sticks or chased each other around in small groups of tag. It was a sad sight.

The blight was coming and many didn't want to greet it, not that the soldiers in the south were alive to keep it at bay. No thanks to the deserting general. Alidster sighed to Katie's left, feeling even more depressed than he felt at the condition of Lothering and its people.

The walk was slow into the town as Alister and Moragin bickered like old friends behind Katie. AThey finally reached the chantry doors where Katie paused. She was no believer of the maker...she probably feel weird going into a place of worship. Alister took her hand dragging her in, leaving Moragin to fend for herself outside. She had refused to go into the place.

"We should probably talk to the Revran mother." Alister shifted his focus to a side place of the Chantey where the the holy mother sat on a chair speaking to several other people. Her words where filled with determination and hope but Katie could easily see the hopelessness of the situation the town had been put in, in the mothers face. A knight in reddish armor turned when they passed and called after Alister.

They exchanged a few words and an explanation as to why the knight was here, some sort of Urn of Ashes. Presuming it held the ashes of Andrastate, which was going to be used to cure the Url of Red Cliff. He was sick with something no healer could heal, though many tried to only preserve his life for a little while longer.

Alister turned to Katie. "We have to see the Url, he practically raised me." he gave her the puppy eyed look. Katie gave pat to his shoulder then pointed and then left to greet the Revren mother. The mother was old, wrinkles came from every crease in her face. But she looked haggard and tired.

"Welcome child. May you give a donation, for the needy here?" Katie made a question mark with her hand before pulling some paper out of her bag and a pen. Scribbling down that she sadly had only 30 silver to spare. The mother read it before giving a smile. "That would be except able child." Alister came in half way through the exchange.

"Anything we could do to help mother?" he asked politely.

"Any jobs you will find on the chanters board, but there is nothing else you could possibly do to help these poor people." with a quick blessing she wave over a Templar to speak to him about evacuation.

"Chanters board would be a good idea, we need coin in order to get supplies."Alister commented as he looked at the only posting on the board. Bandits, like the idiots Katie hacked down at the entrance of Lothering. They needed to getting rid of.

"Only job, but let's do it." he ripped the page off and stuffed the folded piece of paper in his armor. With a nod and beckon to Morigan, the trio set off to find said bandits in the fields of wheat. Katie pulled her dagger and short sword out getting ready for an ambush, not that she wasn't any help. She was still learning the mechanics of offence and defense in battle, let alone fighting.

Out of nowhere several mismatched armored glad men charged at the three of them. All bellowing battle cries, swords raised and running like their lives depended on them. They attacked with little skill and form, just hacking and slashing wildly to bring down their adversary. Katie danced out of the way of their swinging but unable to attack back. A shot of ice had them frozen place giving Katie the chance she needed to attack. The pieces landed on the ground as Katie panted from her one way battle.

"That's the last of them." Morigan said as she dusted herself off and picked up her staff where she had thrown it to use her ice spell. Alister rolled his shoulder that held the shield, nursing it after bashing his shield into a bandit's face.

The guy at the Chanters board paid them while reciting part of the chant in thanks. Katie just nodded unsure how to even respond to the chant. Silently she checked the Chanters board again, and found three more assignments. One was finding the lost mother of the child she had met on the bridge towards the inn. The poor boy looked lost and alone, even though he insisted to wait for a mother who defiantly wouldn't be returning.

The second one had to do something with giant spiders, Katie shivered, she hated spiders…But how huge where the giant ones were anyway. She didn't want to find out. Alister plucked the papers from Katie looking them over before she even had the chance to look over the third.

"Think we should do these? We could make a lot of money out of this. Plus what I picked off the bandits, and whatever we could sell." Alister handed the crumpled papers back to Katie. "They all have to be done in the fields anyway. Let's see what we could get done today and pick up what we can tomorrow before we leave." He suggested steering them both back out into the fields.

The mother's body wasn't too hard to find…all you had to do is fallow the sound of revenues wolves ripping at a carcass. When finally defeating the wolves, Katie was made aware of the nasty smell a dead body could make, making her gag and choke as she slowly pried away a necklace from the half eaten body. Quickly she backed away only to land in a spider's web.

A web that covered a large tree and slung to another tree. In her struggle to get free Katie heard hissing, not like a cat but the distinct sound of something huge getting angry. Glancing up and bam, giant spider. It was hairy, spitting venom and had two pincher like teeth open showing off the small pointy, wet mouth behind it.

Katie struggled harshly, jiggling the web enough to get the spider to fall off and onto its back. It wiggled around trying to get back on its belly, its legs doing some weird dancing in the air before Alister's sword ran into its thorax. Spider guts and blood poured out of its body covering the grass bellow.

Mordin was close by lighting another one on fire, which hissed and curled into itself trying to protect itself from the flames before exploding, spraying its guts all over Katie. Who promptly flailed around trying get the sticky goo off, spitting out what had managed to get into her mouth, then promptly threw up. She shivered dry heaving, feeling her body heat up from her exertion.

Morgan was on her quickly with a red colored liquid, tilting Katie's head up and force opening her jaw and pouring it down. Katie drank what she could before coughing and pulling away from Morgan and her tight grip.

"She's been poisoned." Morgan said putting the half drunk potion away. "There's a in not too far in the town, she need to be healed properly." Alister hoisted Katie up and quickly made his way back into town.

The inn, was small but the room was big enough for the three of them. Alister stands back as Morgan does her thing with dry ingredients and some oils. Katie wheezed in the bed laying on her side shivering as the poison made its way thought her body. This is another reason why she hated spiders, they were at times poisonous, not that they had poison control here to help. Morigan turned her head again shoving more liquid down her throat. It was green and tasted just as bad as it smelled. Katie didn't want to know what was in the concoction, but it was working, she could feel the poison no longer ravaging her body.

"What possessed you to swallow spider?" Morgian sneered. "Its common knowledge not to do so. Lived under a rock all your life?" Katie only glared her then quickly turned over the bed to throw up again, all over Morgian's feet, making Alister burst into laughter. Morgian scowled and stopped away leaving Alister to pull a bucket by the bed.

"That was perfect." He chuckled sitting on the edge of the bed. "You be ok, by yourself?" He asked unsure if he wanted to leave his fellow warden alone. She seemed to be having a bad day already. Between getting attacked by bandits, dealing with a dead body, and now a poisoning.

Katie shrugged, she didn't really have a choice. She didn't feel good enough to move, let alone actually move her limbs. "Alright, we are going to finish that last job and het payed. Then we'll make a list of what we need." He said standing up and pulling his weapons on, with a nod he left. Katie drifted off to sleep slowly after his departure, having nothing else to occupy her mind anymore.

The door creaked open slowly hours later. It was dark out, so dark one would think the blight was there already. A bearded man poked his head in; he glanced around the room and then slowly grinned when he found only one person in the room, the target. The door opened further, and crept in slowly. Two other men fallowed him in, daggers out and ready to cut down anyone in their way. Gently the man turned the sleeping female over to double check to make sure this was who they were looking for, and with a nod he scooped her up and quickly made his way out.

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><p>Yes, I cliff hanger. Review Please<p> 


	3. Ch 3 Magic

SO SO SO sorry that it took forever to update.

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<br>****Magic**

Light touches on her cheeks and her brow brought Katie out of her poisoned induced sleep. The hands were clearly male, for they were rough around the figure tips, but they were gentle and soothing. She basked in the gentle soothing motion of the hands for a while before realizing she was on something that was moving, it rocked side to side in a steady rhythm and at times had a bump downward. A cart of some sort, what else could she be on, for this place had no automobiles. She opened her eyes slowly adjusting to the bright sunlight. How long had she been out? She didn't really want to know. She shifted her eyes towards the arm she had found and fallowed it up to spot Alister's face looking out towards the direction the cart was heading.

She watched him for a bit, this was actually quiet relaxing. Her body didn't hurt anymore, but she still felt slightly dizzy, maybe because she was hungry and thirsty. She shifted to her side making Alister stop his gentle stroking and look down at her.

"Your awake, thank the Maker. I was beginning to worry. Leliana said that you would wake when your body was ready." He was rambling, which meant he was nervous or something had happened she had not remembered them.

"By the Maker you had quiet the adventure for someone who was ill." A woman, Leliana Katie presumed, was beside the cart quickly and smiling. Her red hair and strange robes made her look weird to Katie. Leliana frowned seeing no recollection from the woman before her, the mind was a strange thing when it came to defending its person.

"You poor dear, you have no idea what you had been through for the last couple of days." Lelianas' voice took a turn into sympathy and sorrow. Katie was quick to turn to Alister and began signing, wanting to know what had happened, what was going on.

Alister in turn waved his hands in front of his face in panic trying to remind his fellow warden that he couldn't understand her fancy hand moves. Katie eventually stopped and dropped her hand dismayed as she lowered her head. This was going to be very difficult, for everyone.

"Now, don't look like that. We'll fill you in, once we stop for lunch, since you're up we best." Leliana jogged to the front of the cart were two dwarfed men sat steadily guiding the horses. They exchanged some words and one of the shorter men, red haired and beard, turned to find that Katie was indeed awake and staring back at him.

"Ah, good to know your awake." The dwarfed man said pulling the cart to the side of the road where everyone, minus Morrigan, set up for lunch. As they did Katie got to know her knew companions. There was Leliana , a bard and clostred sister from Orlais who apparently needed refuge in lathering and its Chantry, who had found her being carried by some men. Apparently those men were Logans men, who were dispatched to kill any warden. Leliana didn't go into detail as to what actually happened to her, and right now Katie didn't care to know. But whatever it was, it had made Alister hover ever so more around her.

Sten, who was tall, bleak and seemed to frown upon anything that casted a shadow. He was a qunari, whatever that was, Katie didn't seemed to want to get close to him. And there were the two dwarfs, actual dwarfs that Katie had read about in her fiction books. Bodahn was a merchant, apparently a surface dwarf, it appeared to be a bad thing by the sound of his voice. Well according to other dwarfs at least. Sandle was quiet, but had been adopted by Bodahn, who saw a great gift he possessed and had Sandal do runes.

They, but not Sten, were all shocked to hear that Katie was mute, and communicated by writing and hand symbols. Katie had to chuckle to herself at Alisters blunder of naming her main communication as hand symbols, like a monkey banging two small disks together. He stated proudly that he has managed to memories a few of her hand movements, but its was still a far ways off from really talking with her.

After lunch they were back on the road, Katie still sat in the cart to make sure she really healed up nicely. That is when she managed to snag Lelianas' attention and poke her till she told Katie what had happened to her.

Leliana sighed quietly telling her what had happened. She had gone missing the night she was poisoned by the nasty spiders. Apparently Logan's men had been searching for her and snagged her when they could. They took her to an old mill house, that had been abandoned by the farmer who lived on the property to save his own butt from the Blight. They had here for three days, in her fevered state Katie understood she couldn't get out.

But she then remembered hands, on her, running on her body, and chuckling. She remembered the hands being rough, sweaty and shaky as they were excited about something. It was fallowed by boots on a hard woods floor and then coldness. It continued on like that for a while, the hands and the stroking, before she felt something warn and semi hard being pushed into her mouth. She didn't remember fighting it, she had to if she had wanted to breath, but it only slipped further into her mouth and the taste of something salty spurted into her mouth. Whatever the intruding thing was it pulled away and then pain in her abdomen area and something wet trickling down the inside of her right leg.

She had pulled away from Leliana, who sat in the cart with her slowly stroking her thumbs over the top of Katie.s hands as the girl received her flash back, she made soothing noises. It was depressing to watch the amount of emotions that surfaced in the young woman' face before her eyes became wide with fright and tears licked the edge and the woman withdrew startlingly fast.

One could hear the gasped of breath she made as she slowly sung into her despair, of a rape, she couldn't fight let alone prevent. Leliana scouted forward wishing to aid in her womans healing but to only have Katie withdraw further way from her. Leliana sat in the cart for a bit before sliding out, leaving the mute girl to her very quiet sobbing. Leliana sighed and pushed the former templar forward and away. It was not the best idea for a man to be near a raped woman soon after an event had accrued.

Alisters protests were stopped by Lelianas stern gaze and hushed words of leave her be. He glanced back at the cart once in a while, worried for his fellow grey warden as well for a woman who clearly was broken in more ways than one.

That night camp was quiet and sullen. Katie hadn't come out of her tent since it was pitched up for her, Leliana had checked on her periodically but always found her asleep. The body's natural response to the stress and injury to itself, so it didn't worry Leliana. Carmel, the dog, laid outside the tent keeping guard and worrying over his owners sadness that clung around her. It was halfway into second shift of the night watch when Katie did come out of her tent. She yawned and stretched, then gave Carmel a pat on the head, who had awoken the sound of his master moving around. A bowl of broth and rice appeared quickly infront of Katie's hungry face held by Alister who gave her a worried look. She took it with a small nod of thanks and sat down on a close log.

"Couldn't sleep?" He asked quietly sitting by here. "Not anymore I guess. I heard you tossing and turning before." He tapered off not sure if he should continue. Katie tugged his sleeve to catch his attention. She made her hands into a shadow puppet bird and made it fly around. Then made it breath fire, no small feat when one had only grass. "fire breathing… bird…really?…OH! The dragon, so you were having a dark spawn dream. He nodded knowing how she felt about that. "Creepy isn't, we can sense them, and they can sense us. The older grey wardens said that eventually one will be able to understand what the darkspawn are saying. I think they were just trying to scare us, but sometimes…when you're a warden, one never knows." He tapped her leg with his armored knee gently and hummed. "You ok?" It was a quiet question, but a loaded one.

Katie shook her head yes slowly trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. This wasn't the first time, someone had taken advantage of her, she was mute and men thought they couldn't get away with it when the woman couldn't 'say' no. But the shock of being so sick at the same time it happened, made her hate this world she was pushed into even more. She slowly and shyly leaned herself against him. She was getting cold out here, the soup had helped her warm up but it was still night out and fall too, so it was natural for it to get so cold. Alister slowly patted her knee with his hand, feeling awkward and unsure of himself as his fellow warden, and woman, leaned against him.

By morning Katie seemed to be back to her normal, mute self. Well she would look glum as she stared out into the forest or the road ahead as they walked, but otherwise normal. They reached a fork in the road and took a left as Bodahn took a slight right and said he will wait here for them. They were passing Red Cliff and Alister wanted to check on Arl Eamon and to see if he really was ill like the knight had said. As they made down the pathway Alister pulled her aside leaving the group to stop and wait for them.

Alister fidgeted in front of her, then started to pace before he finally came to the conclusion that he had a working voice box and could communicate through that. "Look, you know how I said back in Lothering that I knew Arl Eamon, the thing is, He raised me, he was like father to me, well you see…the reason I was here was because of… well my father was King Maric and my mother some maid, so im a bastard." He finally managed to get out making Katie blink at him as she absorbed this new information. She gave a slight smile before faking a curtsy.

"Ah, not you too." He grumbled. "Look, I didn't want you to know, because anyone who normally does treats me differently. I know that's silly…" he tapered off when Katies hand rested on his forearm. Katie nodded, she understood and was willing to drop it if he wanted to. "Thank you…now… lets go." He said moving past her quickly and down a small hill. Towards the bottom before a small bridge they spotted a panicked man running at them. He had a bow on his back as well as quiver. He meet them just at the end of the hill sputtering if we were there to help. It turned out that the people in this town were being attacked by zombies every night, and couldn't last long. Most of the knights, who protected the castle, and were all out on some crazy adventure for some aches of some dead prophet.

Ban Teagan greeted them with a worried face and haggard look. He still looked very good for someone who's been up and fighting every night for a week. He recognized Alister pretty quick and filled him in easily, then begged for Alister to stay and help who it turn, turned to her and gave the best puppy dog look Katie had ever seen at her. Teagan was rather shocked to learn that Alister was fallowing another warden around, who appeared to be the leader of this small band, if not strange band, of worriers.

He watched as the blond and blue eyed woman nodded and gestured with her hands. A zero, then but out a number two, to only turn it sideways and press her thumb to the second figure on the bottom. She mouth the work ok. Alister blinked and copied her movements, clumsily at first but then got it after she helped him.

"ok." He grinned. "What do you need us to do Teagan?" He asked turning to the Earls brother. The smith needed a kick in the ass to get working again, the Templars needed something, but no one was sure exactly what. And there had been a report of a missing boy. The small group quickly fanned out getting the small tasks done, leaving their Mute leader in the Chantry with a royal man who didn't know anything about her. There was a long silence before Teagan turned to the Warden and cleared the awkward lump in his neck while also catching the attention of the one person who had stayed.

"My dear lady, I am afraid I never got your name." Teagan said with a smile. Katie tapped her two pointer fingers together unable to tell him anything. Teagan watched again as she lifted her hands and made a quill like gesture on the palm of her other hand. Paper and quill, she needed some apparently. He turned and got her some as well as a book for her to lean onto as she wrote.

_Hello, My name is Katie. I was born mute, so I cannot hold a conversation normally, but I am happy to write what answers I could_. Was written in neat script, she had penmanship I noble would die three times over just to get it. He smile at her, she was charming in her own way, even though she couldn't convey much through talk, she sure could write. She was also beautiful. Long blond hair was tied neatly behind her in a pony tail. Her eyes were a smoky blue; they held ones gauze well, as well as show a lot of emotion. But he presumed that would be understandable if one couldn't convey ones feelings through words why not through eyes or gestures.

"Pleasure Lady Katie." He saw her gesture around trying to stop him from continuing. She jotted something down and gave it to him _I am no lady. Katie is fine. _"But a woman as beautiful as you should be a lady." He replied not meaning to flirt with her, but the bright blush on her face was well worth the little embarrassment on his part. She snagged the paper from between his hands and wrote one word before leaving him a lot with his thoughts. _Flatterer. _

Katie settled to go up the small hill and into the tavern, she spotted an elf to her right as she walked in before being greeted by the server. She greeted her with a smile and told her if she wanted anything to see the old man at the bar, he was the owner. Katie made her way over to the elf, wanting to get a better look at him. This place was fascinating to her, it was like landing in one of her good books..well in the case it was a video game, but could be the same thing.

The elf was quick to see her and said he wasn't looking for company. Katie shrugged not really caring, she just wanted to see him up close. The elf rambled on, as if that would make her leave. She realized the elf had started making excuses and blundering though things before handing her some papers and leaving. It took all of fine minutes and it still left Katie confused and unsure what to do with herself. Slowly she made her way down reading what had been on the papers that had been thrusted into her hands by the strange elf. Apparently Logan had been plotting to kill off Earl Eamon for a while, for he needed the palace watched. For whatever it was, she wasn't sure. But it was serious and considering everything that had happened at Ostigar, Katie was thinking power grab.

Her comrades meat again at the steps of the Chantry discussing what they had done and what they had learned. Katie shared the papers she had with the group. Alister was quick to get angry at Logan and his nasty ways. Katie understood his anger but making a scene isn't want she wanted. So she tapped his shoulder and made a shushing gesture. He quieted down but continued to grumble angrily. So they settled down to eat a quick meal and wait for nightfall to approach. Everything was ready to go so Alister pulled Katie to the docs so she could work on how to use her weapons.

"Sadly, I'm a shield and sword kind of fighter, but it's the basic concept you're trying to get. Hold your…ugh daggers tightly, but not too tight to the point where your knuckles turn white. Bend at our elbows, don't extend them too far out when you are going in for a kill. Too far out and you can hurt yourself in your writs, elbow and in your shoulder. You'll need to find a stance that is comfortable for you and your style of fighting, but that would take time to find and practice to perfect. Since your more of a rouge type, try going for the back s of enemies, and if not then swiftly cut at them. "Alster began their small lesson showing her proper ways to hold, attack and stand.

"Worse comes to worse, you'll have to hide behind me and my shied." He said jokily and tapped his shield that she had been using as a target. "Your enemy won't stay still for you, so you keep moving as well. The constant movement should help you not get hit as well as speed up your attack. We are fighting the dead after all and they are pretty much strait forward fighting. So you'll get a bunch of hits in. If at any time you can't handle it, drop back and let us handle it." He said with no judgment in his voice.

Katie nodded practicing a slow back and forth between her feet to get used to it, she was going to be sore by tomorrow, but it would have been a worth it lesson. She glanced over the lake to gaze up the big palace that was going to spew out the living dead at this poor small town. This small town she and her comrades agreed to fight for and defend. Well, she learned to fight at and her friends defend. A gloved hand on her shoulder pulled her out of her musing.

"Come on, let's get you some proper armor. Those leathers would do you no good." Alister said gesturing for her to fallow him towards the smiths shop. As they entered Katie had to hold her breath momentarily for the smell of alcohol and hot metal racked her nose. She sneezed after a few seconds who caught the attention of the smith, who was working hard making more armor and swords. He greeted Alister with a nod and pulled out some gear, better than what Katie had right now. Some of it looked heavy for; even her small frame shuddered at even thinking of holding the weight of some of those pieces.

"Well, she needs to be quick, so the thicker heavier pieces could be pulled away. "Alister gestured to the heavy armor. "And I don't think shes going to need a shield." He chuckled looking at the two small swords by her hips before looking away quickly. In the end she got hard plated chest piece, cloves and some boots. One small dagger was traded for a short sword, which was sharp and looked never used. Katie marveled at its craftsmanship, she was used to mashie made swords, this was amazing, to see a hand crafted weapon. It wasn't the most beautiful thing, but one could tell a smith worked hard to make it right and steady.

It was time to get into positions and help. Alister made sure she stood by his side but behind him. She would be a back up fighter, this day, taking anything on in his blind spots. Though Katie knew he really didn't need it, he had been trained for fighting and seemed quiet used to it, while she blundered around in the dark unsure of her own feet let alone where her weapons were. Several barrels of oil were placed by barricades and then light on fire as the hoard of undead came charging out of the palace. The place gave off a green glow that made the place look like a swamp in one of those horror films. Katie could now smell the stomach wrenching smell of decaying bodies. Katie nearly puked right there and there but she held it back letting her eye start to water, that she could blink away quickly and still be able to protect herself and Alister's back. Alister was quick to charge in with the other Templars with a mighty war cry.

Katie stayed back keeping her stance and edge closer to the battle, one corpse managed to get through and headed right at her snarling and hissing. Katie took a deep breath waiting for it to come to her as she readied herself. She slashed quickly at it, not any particular form, but it did its job, as the walking dead dropped down and then turned to ash. The fight continued on for another three hours varying between up by the windmill and the lake. It kept her and her friends busy running up and down a hill and fighting. By the end Katies body was sore and she could feel blisters forming on her feet. Her hands hurt, lot. She knew several blisters had popped do to over use. Her arms were numb, and she was bleeding from her right thigh, where a lucky hit from a walking dead got her. She was glad none of them had bows, she couldn't deal with being shot at just yet. She could barely get the hang of swinging her sword and dagger.

In the morning people cheered for they had made another knight, but there hopes were revived by the small band of people who managed to come to their rescue. Many thanked the band of worriers, giving them dried food supplies and well as some coin to help the on their journey. The chantry helped them bandage their wounds and sent them off on with a prayer. As they reached the top of the cliff by the windmill Teagan was there waiting for them, telling them of a way in. Katie gestured angrily at him with her hands. They could have been in the palace killing whatever it was making those dead being come. But not he wanted them to help fight and defend the village. And then this blond woman came, she had a strange thick accent and Katie didn't like her one bit. Especially how snooty she became when talking to Alister, it was rude and terrible that Katie waved her sword in her face glaring at the woman. Alister kindly and semi gently pulled Katie away from the Orlisan woman, quietly explaining who she was and why she didn't want to kill her. Katie nodded and was handed a rig that would open the secret entrance to from the mill to the basement of the palce. Teagan would go with the prissy woman to see if he could do anything, as he rushed off towards the main entrance of the palace Katie made her way to the hidden entrance.

A mage was bared in a cell down there, he was no ordinary mage, a blood mage. Jowan was his name, and he was hired by Logan to poison Eamon, which he did. But he was not responsible for the dead coming back to life. He swore to help, just to amend a little for what he had done, if we would let him out, but refused to come out until it was truly safe.

It took some time to get to the main floor of the palace where throne room was, and there was Teagan making a fool of himself in front of the ruling lady and what appeared to be her kid, who was clapping. The kid looked up at them and his voice, was deep and it had a strange underwave to it. Like someone else was pulling the strings. In fact it had to be for the fact the kid couldn't make her out, he couldn't see her. She turned to Alister who hissed the word abomination. Katie was sure that wasn't a good thing especially if Alsiter looked conflicted with himself. A fight broke out just as quickly it took Katie to look back at the kid, who ran to cower in a corner as the gards and anyone with a sword attacked the small band of people. The enemy fell quickly, most of them were knocked out instead of killed do to the fact they were clearly under control of something evil.

Katie was right in the end, Conor, the kid she saw before who now disappeared, was the cause of all this crazy fade activity. Apparently the fade wasn't the best place to be, well from what little Katie did know. It had demons that want to strike deals with you and then take over your body. It had many of those, and clearly nothing good comes out of making the deal, so why do people make such deals with demons. Katie wasn't going to question ethics right now. Especially with a child possessed by a demon, they needed to get this fixed fast.

Apparently their options were limited, go and kill the possessed child. So wrong in many ways. Go into the fade, but have the Earls wife die using blood magic. No great but somewhat better. The last was go to the circle of magi, get lyrium and some mages and go into the fade that way. The last option was the best and made sure her party knew it. They agreed that three of them would go and get the mages and the other two would stay here and keep the peace the best she could.

Leliana volunteered to come along and Alister made sure Katie knew he wouldn't leave her side. With the three decided they bid farewell the small family and went back onto the road. They would camp and rest up before heading into the tower, at least that was the plan as they slowly made their way towards the tower. It was a slow walk, Katie favoring her injured leg and sore boddy, Leilana making more arrows and Alister Keeping tabs on their surroundings while rubbing his shield arm. It had taken quiet the beating in these last few days and he was ready to properly rest it and work it out.

They reached the tower a day later, about mid day. She could see out over the water to the tower, which towered over everything as well as looking bleak and unwelcoming. Katie gave a sigh, why did she have a bad feeling about going in there. They slowly made down the hill and towards the docs, where a small boat and one templar stood. Who was adamant about not letting them cross. She really hated the guy, his voice was noisily and he seemed to be whining about anything and everything. The need to kick him into the lake was getting stronger and stronger by the minute and Katie was ready to do it, he would topple over easily, he was top heavy in all that armor after all.

They managed to convince him to get them across to the river. Katie clung to the small rocky boat the entire way, afraid to fall into the cold, dark and murky depths. When they made shore Katie was first out quickly and was thankful for actual land under her feet. She liked the boats back home, safe… more safe, she should say and bigger.

As they entered the tower she could hear people scrambling about and one person giving orders to bar the door. His voice was deep but held an authorities tone to it, someone who apparently was used to being in charge. That voice belong to none other than Knight Commander Greagoir. He looked tired and haggard but seemed to keep in control of his own tired and haggard men. He instantly demanded as to why there were aloud across the waters to the tower.

Leliana was quick to explain what had happened at the estate to only receive bad news that the mages were no help do to the fact that the tower had been overrun by abominations. Apparently some mages thought it would be a great time to rebel using blood magic and demons. In order to get any help in both warden and for the boy they would need to first enchanter. It was a quick decision by both her party members to go though those double doors and get him out. Katie tried to gesture that this wasn't a good idea for her but they dragged her along through those doors anyway. So there she stood on the opposite side of the doors she wanted to be on smelling decomposition, smoke and a tingling. She wasn't sure what that tingling was but she didn't like it one bit.

They made a steady march through the first hall way and were attacked behind by a ugly blistered covered mage that snarled and gurgled at them as it charged. With out thinking Katie pointed at it, only to have her dagger fly out and sink into its forehead. The blistered mage dropped to its knees and then promptly exploded. Alister and Leliana screamed in shock when the searing heat and fire burst at them to only have it go around them as if they had a shield. They glanced around trying to find a mage that helped them out, only to find one but Katie standing in front of them staring at her hands. She dropped them and turned to them with a shocked look on her hands.

"Seems your fellow warden is a mage." Leliana said with a chuckled as she semi skipped over to Katie's side. "What fun."

"She's never done that before." Alister said whipping his brow and looking Katie over again. "Now that I'm searching her, I do sense magic." Alister stepped closer. "Did you know?"

Katie shook her head no to his question. She waved her arms around showing off her panic at this sudden display of magic. Leliana walked into the room the abomination had come from and scanned the walls and walls of books. She made a triumphant noise when she found the books she was looking for and took them off the shelves, then put them in her pack.

"For all we know she could have always been a mage and not known it. Not that the templar's can do anything. She is a grey warden first." Alister said nodding to himself as if that was going to help things in the matter. Katie didn't know a thing about magic; let alone how to control it. Leilana came back to her side and patted her back supportively. "Its fine for now. Lets just continue on." With that they marched ahead and into a small room filled with children and some adults, who with their robes on, clearly looked like mages.

The senior most mage greeted them, surprised that they were there, but still greeted them as civily one could in a dire situation like this. Wynne was her name, she was clearly older than anyone here, she seemed to have age of wisdom around, and a mothering instinct. She was willing to come with them and look for the first enchanter, healing magic was always helpful.

The first floor took ages to clear out, at least to Katie's mind it did. With all this new fighting and adrenalin pumping Katie no longer felt her minor wounds, or her tiredness. She was even starting to get the hand of killing things with her blades. Occasonaly her magic would flare and a shield would stop any elemental spell coming through to her and her companions. She wasn't going to question how, or why it kept happening, she was just happy to be alive and still able to go on. Floor after floor they cleared out the abominations, snared templars and the occasional powerful demon.

Then they entered one large room, where a demon had put them to sleep just as quickly as they busted in.

Katie woke with the world around her fuzzy and filled with tingling. That tingling, Katie realized by now was the magic in the air. This particular place was filled with it. It was so heavy it made Katie sway slightly. She looked around and realized she was back in Ostigar. That was strange, bust she stepped forward to look around, there was a set of stares that she took up slowly and spotted Dunken at the far end of this small place she was thrusted into. She made her way over to him with narrowed eyes and hesitant steps. He had died at Ostigar, she remembered that clearly… but the question was why she was back here. He greeted her with a smile and told her of the glorious battle that they had won.

Katie shook her head outright, that wasn't true. She escaped Ostigar thanks to some witch and her mother. And now she was…. At a tower full of possessed mages. So this was the fade everyone was talking about. It was an eerie place, filled with lies and bountiful amount of magic. Sensing that its pray wasn't falling for this small trick the fake warden attacked. It was over quickly by a quick side step on Katies' part and a dagger into Dunkens' neck.

Katie continued through a door that appeared as soon as the fake Dunken laid dead at her feet. The other side of the door was no better than the first. Everything was still hazy and fuzzy as if it had no real focus. Everything had weird tenckles sticking out and the ground was no better. It had parts missing, or just pieces of things. Everything was in shambles like the nothing could decide what it wanted to be. She meet a poor mage who had been stuck here for a week already, and was devastated he couldn't get out, but seemed to be getting over that fact. He told her she could wander around anywhere she wanted, but will always wind up back here. Taking the chance she did but managed to actually find a way out of here and into a new place. The place was loaded in darkspawn, flaming Templers and several spirits that would give up their powers once she managed to help them. Each place had a demon ruling over them, and each time she managed to defeat them, took her wits and her very little knowledge of fighting in order to do so but she managed to finally found her comrades. Each one was stuck in their own heavy dream of dread or delight. She managed to shake them out of their dreams and come to her aid to fight the main sloth demon.

The fight was unbearable. The demon didn't seem to pick to one body and changed between the ones she had defeated already, at a more powerful state. Katie moved around remembering how she defeated each one and tried to use the same tricks, it was harder to do so with more amount of people in the way or just there, but they finally managed to get him in his mane state and defeat him.

The mage from before thanked her for freeing him, but stated that it was to late for him to return to his body, for it had been dead for days now. But she was welcome to take a Litany of Adralla off of him to use against the blood mage who started all this craziness. Uldred, who resorted to blood magic to gain control of the circle. Before he disappeared Katie realized that she had actually spoken to him, words had actually flowed out of her broken and never used voice box. Before everything went dark and she opened her eyes to a room of books and dust. She sat up slowly watching as her fellow fighters did as well. She glanced over to the now dead abomination to find it laying near the body of a very dead mage.

She attempted to speak again only to have nothing to come out. It was depressing to find. She had actually spoken in the fade. There was nothing there holding her back, but here her limitations were great. Wynne thinking that their leader of the group was to tired to move suggested they rest for a while. So they bared the doors on both sides and settled down to mend wounds. Leliana was first to approach Katie holding out some books to her.

"Here dear, I found these. Though you'd like to read them and learn some more about magic." Leliana smiled sitting by her. "You are down… well sad would be the best word. I heard that you know, you speaking in the fade. You have such a lovely voice… shame you cant use it. But don't worry dear, the maker had you… Mute for a reason, and look how much you have got done already. You don't need a voice to get things done now do you?" Leliana hummed lifting Katies chin and smiling. "Now chin up. You're a fine and strong leader, and with your Templar by your side you two will do fine."

Katie cocked her head for the last statement. "Oh, you don't witness the way he looks at you? He looks like a lost puppy that founds it one true love." Katie shook her head at Leliana's silliness. "you don't believe me? Just you watch him, you'll see." She popped down a rolled up blanket on the ground. "You get some rest after wynee takes a look over you. I'll be making a small dinner, till that's ready you rest up."Lelina hummed as she stood and walked over to a small fire pit they managed to make and make dinner.

Katie pulled open the top book and began reading. It was about magic and its many uses, the book was clearly old and well read, for it was falling apart. Apparently the new ones read this, she was glad Leliana though of this. This was the only way Katie learned, through reading. She was like a sponge, reading and then memorizing everything… well sometimes. It depended on the subject, and Katie will herself to learn this the best she could. This was going to keep her alive in a crazy world that was out to kill her. It did take her long to move onto the second and then the third book. She now understood the basics of magic, but to put in into practice was another thing. Maybe she could ask Morrigan to teach her… wait… that might actually be a bad idea. Maybe Wynne could help her. She tough in this place surely the mage was willing to part with some of her lessons to an outsider.

Wynne appeared at her side her hands glowing and read for healing when she spotted the books by Katies tucked in legs. "A mage are we?" She hummed. Katie shrugged not sure how to respond to that. She just found out and well its not like she had a quill and paper…wait her things. She pulled her backpack around her back and pulled out a pen and her notebook, wrote and then handed to Wynne.

_I found that I have magical abilities when I first entered the tower. Apparently putting a shield up without a thought is considered as such around here. I am just learning and have no clue as to what I am doing. Which probably showed as we fought up here. Oh, before I forget my name is Katie. I am born mute._

"Mute? You sure about that? You sertanlly were speaking in the fade…well it is the fade and anything could happen there." Wynnes voice was gentle and understanding. "Those books are a great start. I'll teach you what I can. How about we start a lesson on healing." She hummed gestureing to the wound, now bleeding again, on Katies thigh. "Concentrate on feeling for the wound and then on closing the skin together. Its going to feel weird at first but that's normal. Try to visualize what your magic is telling you about the human body." She put her hands up and they began glowing blue. "Blue is the normal color of healing magic. There is a lighter blue, nearly white and those are ice spells. But we wont get into that right now. Healing is a good tool to have." Wynne gestured for Katie to try next.

Katie brought up her hands and willed herself to visualize blue healing energy around her hands. They sputtered lightly but did go on, they were dim but Katie presumed it was because she was just learning. Wynne nodded and then brought Katies hands to her injured leg and had them touch. Instantly the image of torn muscle, vessels and skin appeared before her. It was like a very clear anatomy book without the pages. Startled by her vision she lost the spell quickly.

"That's alright." Wynne said seeing Katies look of embarisment. "You did very well for your first time. Sadly will leave a scar but as you get better you wont find any." Wynne smiled gently and Katie and stood up to get some rest of her own. Katie looked down at the small white line that she found were her wound used to be. She did really well… well the scar was an indication of just how little she knew but practice made perfect and she would help Wynne were she could.

After resting and eating the group continued on, the past the First Enchanters office and poked around to see if they could get a clue to what was going on. Finding nothing but a book that had Morrigans' mothers name in it, which Katie snagged and put in her pack, they continued on.

They finally managed to get to the top floor and reach a Templar who was behind a shield of some sort that no mage or templar could dispel. He was praying to his Maker for protection and strength. He looked up when the group approached shouting that he wasn't going to be fooled by this again. With them not leaving he realized that this wasn't some vision in his crazed state but actual people coming to help. He wasn't sure what side but a side. He filled them in briefly and then demanded that they killed all the mages in there. For they all were abominations, or were going to become abominations. Either or was bad for the circle and it was best we whipped them out. The group huddled together discussing their issue, Katie unable to say much pulled away from her group and let them chat. She wasn't going to kill a bunch of innocent mages who clearly had tried to fight back. She approached the templar, having been unable to do so before. She was used to standing in the back keeping quiet, not that she could converse with anyone.

He looked at her with weary eyes but seemed to relax seeing that the woman infront of him wasn't doing anything but opening a book and writing in it. He wondered what purpose it was for till she turned it around and showed him her neat script.

_Are you ok?_

It was simple question, he was ready to explode and let her know just how not ok he was. He was stuck in a shield, for a very long time. Days upon days those blood mages attempted to get him to convert to their side, the goaded him with things of wants and needs but he would have none of it. Then he calmed just as quickly, this woman wasn't to blame, why take it out on her. "I am well considering the circumstances my Lady." She jotted something down and then turned it to him.

_We will get you out of here._

Well that was certainly unexpected. "Uldred has the hold on this shield. Kill him and it would go down… wait… why am I speaking with you when you're writing things down?" Cullen felt rather perplexed as well as vexed, surely the could hear him through this barrier. Didn't stop them from questioning him before.

_I am mute._

Was written on the page, well know he just felt like a jerk. "Forgive me. I hadn't ment to.." what had he not meant to? He wasn't sure but the woman in front of him waved it off. She must have been used to this kind of reaction from people. The Maker truly hadn't been kind to her, well with her voice. But she was beautiful, he would admit to that. Vows or no, he would admit this woman could rival Andrastate in beauty. She was flushed from her battle here, her hair was matted with blood and gore but she still looked breath taken. Maybe he should pray, this was sin for him, a temptation in flesh. Katie watched as the Knight sung to the floor and began praying. She shrugged unsure what this man was doing and left him alone to his prayers.

They finally climbed up the stairs and were greeted with a mage being turned into an abomination. It looked overall painful and unpleasant experience to be put through, but people would do anything for power Katie presumed and readied her blades. Seeing how his knew guests were ready to fight, Uldred didn't hold back, infact he changed forms right away and went after them. An hour later he lay dead slowly turning to ash as his body melted away from having to host to hold the angry demon in place. Wynne moved around with ease healing those who needed it and handing out healing potions when her healing was not needed.

The First Enchanter, Irving, thanked them for their help. He appeared tired and worn but pushed them along to get out of here. He would let the Templars do the cleaning up, after all that what they were here for. He joked of course to help lighten the mood and ease his mind of the near death experience he just had. They made it back with no trouble and doors were opened to them. The knight Commander appeared relieved but didn't act on it. Apparently a strong friendship was forged between knight and mage. Nothing wrong with that, she and Alistair had one as well. Not that she was really a mage.

"Thank you wardens. It was a good thing that you came along, as for your request for mages to bring to Red Cliff, I will allow it. It is the least I could do. Understand that now that the mages are secured, I cannot help you with your war. The mages on the other hand can." With that Greagor made the arrangements as the wardens and their fellow fights received Wynne as a new comrade in their quest. No one said anything about Katie being a mage and she was happy to keep it like that. Not that the templar's couldn't sense it but they were all too busy getting the tower back to its original state.

With a group of mages, a templar and the warden group they slowly made their way back to Red Cliff. Wynne quietly taught Katie some more healing abilities as well as trying to get her to learn some actual attack spells. Katie wasn't getting it right off the bat, but she understood doing it in secret wasn't helpful, so when they got the chance they would practice openly. Maybe Morriagan would be willing to part with her knowledge. She was going to need it, horribly.

They finally reached Red Cliff again and went to get the abomination done, the question was who would go into the fade and the face the demon. In the end Katie was pushed into it and she passed out as soon as they started.

The fade was still the fuzzy and prickly state it had been last time, but this time fixed with spirits and a man yelling for Connor. She made her way to the old man and figured it was the Earl. She updated his on what had been happening, he was shocked and angry , understandable. Katie promised to do what she could to help him and his family out. Which right now as tracking down a demon who refused to show up. So Katie went searching, and found a fake connor angry at her for being there. He quickly turned to the demon and attack. This happened a few more times before demon got tired of getting her fake self killed and meat with her.

"A deal with you mage. I give whatever you want and I will leave for the time being and come back." She said waiting for the warden to consider her request. "What you desire besides your voice child. That I can not fix." She giggled. "Lets see, how about I improve your knowledge, maybe you wish for a love. Perhaps you wish power?" she hummed shifting closer eagerly.

"Power. I want power." The demon hummed. Katie felt horrible, but this was her moment of weakness. She wanted to servive here, to be able to what she could even without a voice. The demon nodded seeming to understand her more that she herself could. With a flair of power that Katie felt wash over her, she felt stronger but also more knowledge of how to fight in both all blade types as well all magic. It was an amazing feeling.

"I cheated a little and gave you more. Farewell dear." With that she disappeared and the world crumbled into darkness around her. Katies eyes opened to a canopied bed, she glanced around to find herself in a beautiful room. It was so decadent, she felt really out of place in it. She sat slowly and pulled the covers to herself feeling that she was only in her undergarments underneath it. She blushed slightly realizing that Alister was sitting by her bed side sleeping in a rather comfortable looking chair. Didn't the man not know how unclothed she was underneath the covers she was. Then she looked down finding some restriction in her movement. Apparently she had been cut up, because there was bandages, most white but while others were spotted with red from deeper wounds. She sighed, what an adventure… would they forgive her, it was a deal with a demon, and she couldn't help but want what she wanted.

Katie decided not to tell anyone, that was the best option. She'll deal with it on a later date, hopefully. Slowly she lowered her hands and concentrated on the spots that were clearly still bleeding. She glowed slightly, which helped her see better. The magic flair did awake Alister, him being sensitive to magic in the first place, he inhaled sharply seeing his fellow warden just sitting on the bed covered in only her small cloths and glowing blue. He stood so quickly that he knocked over the chair and then tripped backwards over it. The noise startled Katie out of her healing and she spotted Alister awake on the floor bright red. She pulled the covered up quickly and slid to the edge of the bed.

"No, don't get up. I'll get Wynne." Alsiter said standing up quickly and running out the door to get Wynne and get out of there. Katie chuckled at the virgin like response to her semi naked state. She was covered in the right places and the covers did their purpose right now. Wynne came in at a gentler pace and closed the door behind her self.

"That poor boy. Looked ready to drop in embarrassment." She chuckled and held up folded up cloth. "The lady of the house was willing to part with one of her gowns in thanks for saving their land." Wynne placed it down on the edge of the bed. "I see you already healed some of your wounds. That good. It is normal, when a mage battles in the fade that they receive wounds on their body. " she soothed the girl knowing she was wondering what had happened. "Connor is back to normal, playing with his things and asking about his savoir. " Wynne smiled at that. She helped Katie heal her wounds further and cleared the minor ones. "Go ahead and get dressed, breakfast will be served soon." She let the woman have privacy to change.

The dress was actually pretty, compaired to what the lady was wearing before it was actually much better. It had a tight bodice with long sleeves. It skirt was longer in the back than front by a lot so it trailed behind Katie as she made her way out of her room. The skirt was semi puffy and all of it was a light blue color, except for the white lines that came from the side of her breasts down to the center of the dress by her hip bones. She was greeted by Teagan who had stepped out of his own room to head down.

"My Lady." He greeted her again. Katie gave a small curtsy. "Please let me escort you to the dinning hall." He put his arm out. It was very old style of an invitation but Katie understood it well enough from old movies. She looped her harm around his and let him lead. Not that she knew where the dining hall was in the first place.

Her friends greeted her warmly with waves and hellos. The arlessa as well as her son Connor were quick to wave her over and have her sit next to the boy. Who gushed over his savior shyly. It was so cute, that people chuckled at the boys stuttering of questions that he still hadn't let Katie answer. Breackfast was served rather promptly after that. It was eggs with bacon and some toast. Katie blinked at it, well she could eat the toast at least. Seeing that one of their guests wasn't eating the panicked slightly.

"Katie? Are you alright?" Teagans voice broke out of her thoughts and she looked up at him and then at the food.

"Oh, she doesn't eat a lot of meat products. No bacon or eggs for our dear leader." Leliana quickly said with a slight chuckled. She handed Katie a bowl of cut up fruit. "But fruits and veggies are just fine. She'll have bread and jam." The host family relaxed realizing that their guest just had a particular eating style than most. Crisis averted in their eyes they settled to eat a good meal. Anything not eaten was going to be sent down to the chantry for the townsfoke to eat, it was best not to waist food in times like this.

"We are holding a memorial service for anyone who perished in this sad time. I was hoping you all would show up so we can properly thank you for your heroic deads." Teagan said hoping the would say yes. "I am sure you wish to leave soon, and im sure the towns people would love to thank you in person." They reluctantly agreed, might as well just make one public appearance and then head out.

But before they went out they went to check on the Earl, he was the reason they came down this way to begin with. He looked more asleep than anything else, but magic and potions were no use for this poison so the mention of ashes was brought up. Aparently the ashes of some dead prophet were supposed to cure anything, but the person who knew where it might be was some brother that resided in the capital city. They weren't heading there just yet, for they wanted to stop at the Orzammar to get the dwarfs in their army. Katie had a feeling that with they way things were going, it wasn't going to be an easy task.


End file.
